| D.A.S.H. History |
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| Written by Administrator | |
| Tuesday, 04 December 2007 | |
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Several Cornell University undergrads founded D.A.S.H in the spring of 1999 after the existing queer group on campus (The Cornell Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Coalition,) folded. D.A.S.H is also a direct descendant of the original Student Homophile League, which was the second gay student organization ever founded in The United States. Since the time of its inception, D.A.S.H has always been at the forefront when it comes to nurturing queer political activism on the Cornell campus. During its first few years, D.A.S.H worked extensively with the ZAP! Program to spread awareness of LGBT rights around campus. In 1999, D.A.S.H also organized the first ever Cornell Jeans Day; as part of the event, the group engaged in a media blitz where it encouraged students to wear jeans if they were gay (or in favor of LGBT rights.) Cornell Jeans Day garnered a significant amount of press and facilitated further discourse on queer issues. In 2003, D.A.S.H made history when it organized a full-scale mock gay wedding on Ho Plaza. This event made the front page of The Cornell Daily Sun and sparked a flurry of discussion around campus over whether gay marriage should be legal. And in 2005, D.A.S.H again made headlines when it encouraged Cornell students to protest against the FDA’s homophobic and discriminatory blood donation policies. Most of D.A.S.H’s existing leadership graduated in 2006, and the organization went on hiatus shortly after. As a result, D.A.S.H lost its office space and all D.A.S.H-related paraphernalia was put in boxes and sent to the Human Sexuality Collection in Kroch Library (where it remains to this day.) In the spring of 2007, several Cornell undergrads visited the Human Sexuality Collection and learned more about D.A.S.H. They decided that it was time to resurrect the group, and so they did just that. D.A.S.H officially re-launched in the fall of 2007 with a reinvigorated mindset and perspective. |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 04 December 2007 ) |
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